Walnut Grove

Patsy is not the only one who shares stories of growing up with our kids. I do too! Our recent stop in Walnut Grove, Minnesota was a great opportunity for me to share some childhood memories. My mother was a huge fan of the TV show Little House on the Prairie, and we watched it every week plus reruns! As I got older I called it Little Tears on the Prairie because someone was always crying on the show.

As we toured through the first part of the museum where they focus on the real Laura Ingalls Wilder and the one played on television. I told my boys stories of Carrie falling into a well, Nellie being very spiteful until she got married and Mary going blind. They had a brail Bible at the museum for the boys to touch as we explained this part of the Ingalls family history.

It is hard to believe, but my boys have never seen an episode or read one of the Little House books, but now we might have to change that! The museum has an old church, a very cool sod house, a room with old games to play with, two working pump organs which you are allowed to play (see the video), a jail, a recreation of their first wooden plank house and a doll collection.

My kids’ favorite part of the museum, however, was a full-sized working edition of an old mercantile and bank with fake money and goods to purchase. They all played at this for quite some time with Blake and Tanner doing a great job and playing with their brothers! It did our hearts good to see the older boys patiently playing this game with their younger brothers.

Our trip to Walnut Grove made me nostalgic for my childhood and made me miss my mom a bit. I kept picturing her sitting on our couch crying away while my dad made fun of the whole thing. I admit, a few times some tears might have swelled up in my eyes too. Little half-pint could do that to you.